Purpose

The Government Minister for Children, Families
and Wellbeing via a letter dated 19th December 2023 recommended
that the weekly National Minimum Allowance (NMA), taking into
account changes in inflation and what is affordable for local
government, were
uplifted for this financial year by 6.88%.

The percentage increase to Doncaster to match the 2024/25 NMA
ranges from 6.86% to 7.04% depending on age banding.
No change to the fostering skills payments for 2024/25 as these
rates were increased on 1st September 2022 as part of the new
Fostering rates agreed by Cabinet on 6th July 2022.
The request is to increase the Level 1 SGO/CAO carers allowances by
3% in line with Commissioning price inflation target for external
providers; these carers received a 7% uplift for 2023/24.

Content

1. To increase the weekly Fostering
Allowances, and the weekly Level 2 Allowances for Special
Guardianship Order (SGO) and Child Arrangement Order (CAO) carers,
to be paid in Financial Year 2024/25 to be in line with the weekly
National Minimum Allowance (NMA) recommended by the Government
Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing.

2. Fostering Skills Payments to remain unchanged for Financial Year
2024/25.

3. To increase the weekly Level 1 Allowances to be paid in
Financial Year 2024/25 payments to Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
and Child Arrangement Order (CAO) carers by 3

Alternative options considered

These figures have been increased every year
due to them set via the Government and we have had no option but to
follow the guidance set via the NMA.
We are now in a confident place which has been highlighted in
recent external audits and new guidance has been released which
states we should or it’s recommended that we pay in line with
the Childrens Allowance this is now possible as we have split the
Fostering rates to child’s allowance and skills payment. This
now highlights the allowance to the public and will bring us in
line with the same offer from our local authorities, this will then
be means tested.